Ecommerce Fulfillment Competitive with Amazon
The Amazon Effect and How ITS Logistics Can Help
With two-day shipping and its high-level of visibility, Amazon has changed expectations within the supply chain. Ecommerce consumers now expect their experience to be seamless, transparent and immediate, and to be successful, shippers must comply.
Amazon’s convenient delivery options have made it the default retailer for a growing number of consumers, and many shippers have opted to take advantage of the platform by selling on Amazon as well as their own website, said Kasia Wenker, Director of Distribution Sales, for ITS Logistics.
Many shippers and online retailers have grown dependent on Amazon’s platform, but ultimately find that Amazon has become their biggest competitor. Because of Amazon’s position as both a marketplace platform and a retailer, the ecommerce giant has put pressure on its sellers by producing and releasing their own products designed to crowd out their competitors.
What’s more, many shoppers still prefer to buy directly from the brands they love as long as they can obtain the same level of service and quick shipping they’ve come to expect. “There are mid-size manufacturers or distributors who are creating a fanatic customer base that doesn’t want to buy on Amazon. For many shoppers, there is an attachment with the brand, and the brand is creating a direct following,” Wenker said.
Fortunately, ecommerce businesses can obtain the logistics support and ecommerce fulfillment solutions they need in order to provide service comparable to Amazon’s, and ITS Logistics can help retailers level the playing field in an Amazon-dominated world. “Creating or continuing your own brand identity is possible and you can crush that Amazon expectation. You may think you’re getting swallowed by Amazon, but you don’t have to,” Wenker said.
Large retailers creating their own branded digital experience and driving consumers to their own sites can create a competitive advantage, and ITS offers several ecommerce fulfillment solutions to match the Amazon experience. They include:
Multiple Shipping Options
Today’s consumers expect to have several delivery options available to them, including same-day shipping. To ensure fast deliveries, distribution centers have to operate on a continuous ecommerce order fulfillment schedule and have the infrastructure to deliver those items quickly and affordably.
ITS has the networks in place to fulfill orders quickly. Its position in Reno, Nevada, gives ITS Logistics proximity to 12 Western states, which makes it easy to reach locations throughout the West. The Reno-Sparks area is close to California, and it is possible to reach major ports within three hours. It is also just hours away from California’s Bay Area and Silicon Valley.
Timely Shipment Notifications, Visibility
Consumers want to know where their products are and have live visibility into their order status. ITS Logistics can provide branded customer order shipment notification and online access into order status, so consumers can get updates with the click of a mouse.
Inventory Integration with an Online Store
It is crucial inventory is in stock when a customer orders, so ecommerce stores must have accurate inventory information. ITS Logistics inventory management for ecommerce service can integrate inventory levels with online stores to ensure customers aren’t promised items that are out of stock.
Radio Frequency Identification
Radio Frequency Identification can track and trace products throughout the supply chain, improving the quality and transparency of data. RFID can also increase the accuracy of inventory counts, ensuring shippers have the right products in the right places at the right time.
Gift Wrapping
ITS can provide gift wrapping services, so consumers can request the option at check out and be confident the gift will arrive wrapped.
Tapping into the experience and infrastructure of an on-demand, third-party logistics provider such as ITS Logistics allows retailers to provide the customer experience today’s consumers demand without having to build it themselves. “In all of this, we are invisible to the customer, and that allows shippers to continue building their brand and developing customer loyalty,” Wenker said.
Additional ecommerce fulfillment for Amazon resources:
Learn more about Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime
Understand the different Amazon Shipping Options
Contact ITS Logistics today to see how we can help you.
